Shot on October 14, 1888 by French inventor Louis Le Prince, the Roundhay Garden Scene is believed to be the first film ever made, or at least the oldest one in existence. The Film features Louis' eldest son Adolphe Le Prince, Sarah Robinson Whitley, Joseph Whitley and Harriet Hartley walking around in the garden. Roundhay Garden Scene was shot in Roundhay, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, and, according to Adolphe, was filmed at Oakwood Grange, which was the home of Joseph and Sarah Whitley. Sarah Robinson Whitley, who was not only the Film's feature actress but also Le Prince's mother-in-law, died 10 days after the completion of this Film.

Although controversy and debate persists, Louis Le Prince, rather than Thomas Edison or the Lumiere brothers, is widely considered to be the inventor of the motion picture camera as well as the first person to record moving pictures on film. Louis Le Prince, who was born in August 1841, mysteriously vanished aboard a train bound for Paris in September 1890 and was never seen again. The nature and circumstances surrounding Le Prince’s disappearance remain contested to this day.

More about the Roundhay Garden scene can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roundhay_Garden_Scene

More information about Louis Le Prince may be obtained at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Le_Prince


This movie is part of the collection: Short Format Films

Producer: Louis Le Prince
Audio/Visual: silent, b/w
Keywords: Louis; Le Prince; Thomas; Edison; France; England; Roundhay; Garden; Scene; 1888; first; film; made

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Reviewer: katpooh9 - - November 7, 2009
Subject: Better than Hollywood
Just a couple of blinks and the film has ended, but just the fact that I'm looking back into an actual time when the American West was still galloping with saloon girls and cowboys makes it better than watching a Hollywood movie depicting that era. Those aren't costumes they're wearing; those are the real thing!

Reviewer: antolintinez - - July 25, 2009
Subject: Agree
This is another case that shows "what is not showed is not sold". He couldn't spread his invention and Edison & Lumière took his place for a long time as the pioneers.

Reviewer: Robin_1990 - - May 1, 2008
Subject: Great Film
Who knew 2 seconds of people walking could be so much fun? This film is fab!